Mischief Managed
by Chinesemoon
Summary: A glimpse into the relationship between a young Remus and Sirius. Contains mild SLASH.


**Mischief Managed**

By _Chinesemoon_

Warning: This story is SLASH. That means it contains male/male relationships. If you are easily offended by this idea, please don't read the following. This is not meant to be offensive in any way, shape or form!

A/N: Okay, this is the first time that I have actually attempted a real SLASH story, so it's probably not too good. I'm usually an unwavering Remus/Tonks shipper, but something about this pair just makes such natural sense. I hope I didn't offend anyone by this! Review if you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything. I also don't own Remus, but Tonks thought she did. I guess she was wrong, too. ;)

Out of anything, their sixth year was the most vivid in his mind. It seemed so simple back then. There was nothing to worry about, nothing to care for. All they needed to think about was studying for their next test. Now he looked back upon their school times with a mixture of fondness and sorrow. How fast those years went by. He wished he could have them back but he couldn't. Now his life had amounted to pain and regret. He sorted through his memories to remember the person he lost.

Sirius had always been the same. He was tall, slim, and dead handsome. James was cocky, mysterious, and talented. Remus remained quiet, witty, and smart. Peter was cowardly and shy. Remus later recalled his best friend's words as if they were only uttered the day before.

"Can we live forever, Remus?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because you're smarter than me, and you know it."

Remus tried not to smile as he looked over his book at his friend. Sirius was lying completely spread out on the floor of the common room. His dark hair fell in his face, and he mouth hung open lazily.

"How should I know?" Remus said, shrugging. "I don't know everything, Sirius."

"Oh _contraire_, my dear Moony," Sirius said, sitting up. "I believe you can teach anyone about anything."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Maybe you should read more books then," he replied.

Sirius waved a hand as if that was absurd. He lay back down on the rug, throwing one leg over the other and crossing them carefully. He scratched his dark hair and looked back at Remus.

"I suppose I'll be your friend for many more years," Sirius said, as if talking to himself. Remus pretended to ignore him, but his eyes remained unmoving on the same word in his book. "So I suppose I'd better put up with your stubbornness, Moony."

Remus shot him a look at this. "Me? You're the stubborn one, Padfoot."

Sirius began to laugh; he laughed that same sultry laugh he used on everyone. It was like he was being flirty. Maybe he was. Remus had taken to the habit of blushing in sixth year.

Years later, Remus could still remember that laugh as he worked on picking up the fragmented pieces of his life. The times he shared with his lost friend were so clear. He wished he had a time turner, so he could go back in time and watch the scenes of his innocent childhood play before his eyes again and again. Why couldn't things be easy once more?

How pleased Sirius had been when he thought up the idea to become an Animagus. Remus remembered how he marched right up to him one day, James and Peter flanking him, looked Remus in the face and said to him with a grin, "Mate, you're an animal. Well, now so are we."

Remus had felt like crying.

One particular night stood out in his memory. Peter was in detention for sleeping in class, and James… the lord only knew… he had disappeared many hours before with Lily Evens. Remus and Sirius were left to their own devices in their dorm room.

Sirius, as usual, spread out as much as he could on the floor next to Remus's bed. Remus himself sat upright on his bed, reading a Dark Arts book.

"Do you suppose werewolves are any wiser than normal people?" Sirius said lazily.

"I don't suppose; I know," Remus replied, turning the page of his book.

"I make a very sweet and loving dog," Sirius said, changing the subject abruptly. "I'm a much sweeter pet than Peter."

"You're sure to be the kind of pet an owner cleans up after," Remus laughed.

"Then I don't need an owner at all," Sirius sniffed comically. "I have you instead."

"Yes, what would you do without me?"

"Yes, what indeed," Sirius consider, pushing his dark hair out of his face and sitting up. "For I should have no one to torment!"

Remus threw his pillow at Sirius. Sirius dodged the pillow and jumped up onto the bed with a thud.

Remus shoved him away and went back to his book. "Graceful today, aren't you Padfoot?"

"Who needs grace when you have such dashing good looks as I do?" Sirius asked, nudging Remus in the ribs. "Isn't that right, Moony?"

Remus began to feel uncomfortable. He scooted farther from his friend, but Sirius only came closer to him.

Sirius was up on his knees and leaning quite close to Remus.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Sirius grinned.

Remus leaned away again, but escaping Sirius Black was a futile process. He was drawing closer and closer. Maybe it was something in the air around them, or the smell of Sirius's hair, but Remus gave up moving away.

He leaned closer… a little closer still. There was a light kiss. Was this right? Remus wondered desperately. Was it okay to be doing this? Surely, they would stop—

Just a little harder… What an odd sensation this was.

Air, it simply couldn't be avoided, and someone _had_ to move or they'd suffocate. The smarter one did just that, and Remus backed off looking wide-eyed. This _had to be_ against the school rules.

"A scarlet flush suites you, Moony," Sirius said evilly.

Some more was done, and a little more, and a little longer. It felt good. No, no it didn't. He didn't want to. Well, yes he did, and so it was.

They always said detail was something Sirius Black had mastered at a young age. It was then that Remus Lupin began to appreciate it.

A door creaked open and the two boys sprung apart, one breathless and flustered, the other merely grinning.

James Potter walked into the room, invisibility cloak thrown over his shoulder. He cast a look at his friends.

"You all right, Moony?" James had asked, cocking his head.

Remus nodded and shot a glance at Sirius. He was sitting at the end of the bed.

Sirius threw Remus his most charming smile. He turned to James and innocently raised an eyebrow.

"Mischief managed," he said.

FIN


End file.
